Holy macro
Forbes
New York
Aug 26, 1996
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Authors: Walsh, Bill
Supplement: ASAP
Start Page: 30
ISSN: 00156914
Subject Terms: Management styles
Executives
Employee empowerment
Delegation of authority
Management
Executives
Delegation of authority
Classification Codes: 9190: US
2200: Managerial skills
2130: Executives
Geographic Names: US
Abstract:
The dangers of failing to delegate responsibilities successfully are well-known.
Delegation is rarely easy for a committed executive. When the ultimate responsibility
for the success or failure of a company or a division rests with an individual,
the idea of trusting others with some part of that responsibility can be
a test of the nerves of that individual. Ironically, autonomy may be especially
important at the lower levels of the command structure, where independent
thinking can bring about significant improvements. At the upper end of the
hierarchy, delegation comes more naturally. Yet it is also at the upper level
that getting delegation right demands more subtlety. As a leader, one is
still responsible for establishing overall systems and a guiding philosophy.
Ultimately, the ability to delegate effectively depends on the ability to
take pleasure in, and give credit for, the successes of those one has chosen
for responsibility. Jealousy of subordinates and a! nxiety over their upward
mobility are fatal flaws.
Copyright Forbes Aug 26, 1996
Full Text: Delegating requires a sure touch: too little and you become a
figurehead, too much and you squelch creativity.
HERE'S A QUICK LITMUS test of your mastery of the fine art of delegation:
When you walk into a meeting room filled with people who work for you, is
there a change in the atmosphere? Do you feel like the regular teacher who
comes back after a substitute has had the class for a while? If so, then
in one way or another, you're doing something wrong.
The arguments about the varying virtues of micro- and macromanagement will
not be settled here. Each style has its strengths, and every situation calls
for a particular blend of the two. But the dangers of failing to delegate
responsibilities successfully are well known. In a recent book about World
War II, Why the Allies Won, historian Richard Overy argues against the conventional
wisdom that the eventual Allied victory in Europe was a foregone conclusion.
Overy contends, instead, that in the early 1940s, the war could have gone
either way.
One of the crucial factors that tipped the balance was the capacity of Churchill
and Roosevelt to trust their generals, in contrast to Hitler's disastrous
personal determination to direct military operations hundreds, even thousands,
of miles away. Obviously, there were many other reasons the Germans lost.
With a leader like Hitler, it's hard to imagine victory in the long run,
even though the Wehrmacht was a famously effective fighting force. But the
increasing inability of the high command, and generals in the field, to make
independent decisions without risking their careers (and even their lives)
made Germany's defeat inevitable and all the more decisive.
Delegation is rarely easy for a committed executive. When the ultimate responsibility
for the success or failure of a company or a division-or a sports team-rests
with you, the idea of trusting others with some part of that responsibility
can be a test of nerves. Ironically, autonomy may be especially important
at the lower levels of the command structure, where independent thinking
can bring about significant improvements. The ability of any assembly-line
worker to stop the line or suggest a better way to do something-originally
a Japanese concept-has revolutionized the way American automakers do business.
Getting lowerlevel employees to believe they won't be blamed for an occasional
mistake in judgment, or unlucky developments, demands attentive leadership.
The trick is to seem like you're not paying attention when, in fact, you're
involved in a personal way. You can't delegate yourself out from under the
burden of total awareness.
At the upper end of the hierarchy, delegation comes more naturally-after
all, that's why you promote people you can trust to do things well without
a lot of baby-sitting. Yet it's also at the upper level that getting delegation
right demands more subtlety. As a leader you are still responsible for establishing
overall systems and a guiding philosophy.
If you delegate these jobs, you become a symbolic, essentially ceremonial,
leader, the kind with too much time to think about how to give the public
and the press a rosy picture. You become too comfortable, letting those who
work for you handle the crises. You might even find yourself making lofty
speeches about "establishing the highest of goals." In short, you're no longer
a true leader. One of the many downsides of this kind of abdication is that
without the perks of leadership those you trust will almost inevitably become
disenchanted and eventually leave.
Once a leader establishes standards, top lieutenants have to be given the
power to solve problems quickly and decisively. Successful delegation of
major responsibilities is a sign of good leadership. It requires hiring people
who can handle significant roles well, and letting them exercise that power
independently while you still maintain control. This is why a mood change
when you enter a room full of subordinates signals you've still got a way
to go in creating an organization that reflects your leadership and yet is
one in which that leadership is effectively shared. If, for instance, a staff
doesn't seem fully mobilized until the boss arrives, the self-assurance that
is the hallmark of a well-led company hasn't percolated down.
Ultimately, the ability to delegate effectively depends on the ability to
take pleasure in, and give credit for, the success of those you've chosen
for responsibility. Jealousy of subordinates and anxiety over their upward
mobility are fatal flaws. If you're not ready to share the glory, you're
not ready to delegate power. And if you're not ready for that, you're not
yet ready for prime time.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or
distribution is prohibited without permission.
